PELAN for non-intrusive inspection of ordnance, containers, and vehicles

When neutrons interact with nuclei, the resulting energy of the interaction can be released in the form of gamma rays, whose energy is characteristic of the nucleus involved in the reaction. The PELAN (Pulsed Elemental Analysis with Neutrons) system uses a pulsed neutron generator and an integral moderator to induce reactions that cover most of the neutron energy range. The neutron generator uses a d-T reaction, which releases fast 14 MeV neutrons responsible for providing information on chemical elements such as C, N, and O. During the time period between pulses, the fast neutrons undergo multiple elastic and inelastic interactions that lower their energy making them easier to be captured by other chemical elements such as H and Cl. The PELAN system has been used for a number of applications where non-intrusive, non-destructive interrogation is needed. This report illustrates examples of its performance in interrogations for unexploded ordnance (UXO), landmines, large vehicle bombs and illicit drug detection.